Tablet.



' 1 HEN. FRASER.

TABLET. APPLICATION nuzo MAY 29. 1917.

lg i ufifil. r Patented Oct. 16,1917.

WITNESSES I uvmvron W an); ATTORNEYS @FFTQE.

nom nate a. rnesnn, or anoonnrn, new YORK, Assranon 'ro rnn rnesnn TABLET comm, or BROOKLYN, nnw YORK, A ooaroaarron or new roan.

TABLET;

neaasoi.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. is, 191?.

Application filed May 29, 1917. Serial No. 171,606.

the tablets are packed in containers, is reduced to a minimum. Another object of my 1nvention is to construct the tablet in such a way that, if it is broken unintentionally or otherwise, the break will be clean and without any appreciable crumbling whereby loss of material due to breakage is avoided. My invention further contemplates a tablet having a distinctive appearance and which is capable of being packed in a compact and ethcient manner, My invention will be fully described hereinafter and the features of novelty will be pointed out in the appended claims. J

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an example of my invention, Fig ure 1 is a face view of my improved tablet and Fig. 2 is a cross section thereof on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

As shown in the drawings, the tablet comprises a central thin portion 5 which merges into an outer and thicker rim portion 6, this arrangement producing a tablet which is depressed on both sides at its central por tion. In the illustrated example the opposite surfaces of the tablet at the central portion 5 are concave and at the outer portion 6 are convex thus having what may be termed a double ogee form as shown in Fig. At approximately the points where the 'concave central portlon merges into the outer thicker portion 6, the tablet is formed with annular ribs 7, these ribs being located on opposite surfaces of the tablet and in registry with each other.

In existing tablets, particularly of the type comprising a thin central portion and a relatively thicker outer portion, the ma: terial at the center is forced radially outward under the force exerted by the com-.

pressing mechanism and is added to the material located at the outer portions of the tablet being formed. This produces a tablet in which the central portion is relatively Weak and which is thus easily broken; furthermore, the material in a tablet of the kind referred to adjusts itself in layers during compression so that, when broken, the tablet scales and crumbles and in fact in most cases is completely broken up. With my improved construction the action of the compressing mechanism effects an intervening portion between the two thicknesses of the tablet, the rovision of such portion preventing the ateral extension of strains which result in the flaking of the tablet. Generally in forming a round tablet this intervening portion is formed as an annular rib 7 and thus forms what may be termed an annular wall between the central portion 5 and the outer portion 6. The material at the central portion 5 is thus confined and held against any radial outward movement and is consequently compressed to a maximum extent. At the same time the material at the outer portion 6 is also properly compressed into a homogeneous mass free from scaly formation as is clearly shown in the drawings. My improved tablet is thus extremely rigid and strong at the central portion and'when forcibly broken, presents a clean, substantially even surface, crumbling at the break being practically eliminated and scaling being entirely absent. The sections or parts into which the tablet is broken, each retain their structural characteristics and do not crumble up or become disintegrated.

The addition of the annular ribs 7 to the tablet, also gives to it a. distinctive appearance. It is, of course, to be understood that my improvement is not limited to tablets of circular form and that it may be etliciently combined with tablets of other shapes, the annular ribs in such cases being properly formed to produce the desired results. Furthermore, my improvement is useful in connection with any type of tablets, whether the same are simply confections, or for medical purposes or otherwise as the case may be, the specific constituents of the material comprising the tablet being of no consequence.

Various changes in the specific form shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim: 1. A tablet of the kind described formed by compression, having portions of difl'erent thickness, and an intervening portion, between such thicknesses to efiect connection between the two portions and destroy the tendency to flake.

2. A tablet of the kind described comprising a central portion and an outer portion of different thickness, and ribs 0n opposite surfaces of said tablet between said outer and inner portions thereof.

. 3. A tablet of the kind described comprising a central portion and an outer portion of different thickness and continuous ribs on opposite surfaces of said tablet at the points Where said portions merge together.

4. A tablet of the kind described comprisweasel ing a central portion, a relatively thicker outer portion and continuous ribs on opposite surfaces of said tablet at the points Where said portions merge together.

5. A tablet of the kind described comprising a center portion having its opposite surface concaved, an annular outer portion having its opposite surfaces convexed'and annular ribs'on the opposite surfaces of said tablets at the points Where said concave and convex surfaces merge together.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HUEATIU N. FRASER. 

